Artist Chris Burden Dies at 69: Created ''Urban Light'' Street Lamp Installation at LACMA; Was Shot, Nailed to a Car for His Craft

Sculptor and performance and installation visionary had battled melanoma

Look around, the work of Chris Burden (or someone inspired by him) may be right down the street.

So it is in our case, his "Urban Light" at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art just a hop, skip and a jump away. The piece, featuring 202 restored street lamps from the 1920s and 1930s lined up in mesmerizing rows for everyone's selfie-taking, Gene Kelly-impersonating pleausure, was set up in the museum's forecourt in 2008 and attracts crowds of all ages at all hours of the day and night.

Talk about your art by the people and for the people.

Burden died yesterday at his Topanga Canyon home after battling melanoma, according to artist Paul Schimmel, who said his friend was diagnosed 18 months ago.

Known for sculpture and his conversation-starting public installations, Burden was also quite the fearless performance artist, famously having his assistant shoot him in the left arm with a rifle for 1971's "Shooter." In 1974, he was more or less crucified in Venice, Calif. for "Trans-Fixed," his hands nailed to a Volkswagen Beetle as he lay across the top. (It's no wonder the likes of Johnny Knoxville were fans...)

Before that, he earned his master's degree at the University of California, Irvine, with the performance thesis "Five Day Locker Piece"—which yes, involved him locking himself in a 2-by-2-by-3-foot locker for five days, with only a jug of water (and an empty jug in the locker below him).

In addition to conceiving "Urban Light," the Boston-born Burden is also responsible for "Metropolis II" at LACMA, the erector-set-on-steroids model city that takes up a whole room and reveals previously overlooked details with every viewing.

"Chris Burden, RIP," wrote Lisa Phillips, a director at NYC's New Museum, on the institution's Facebook page. "An artistic giant, influential teacher, fearless risk-taker, and maverick who played by his own rules, Chris was also endlessly curious and tremendously exacting. It was a great honor to work with him so closely over the past several years to realize his largest museum exhibition, 'Chris Burden: Extreme Measures,' including the monumental installation on the Museum's facade that he knew would alter the skyline of our neighborhood. It will remain on view for the next several months in tribute to Chris and his vision. Our thoughts go out to his wife and life partner, Nancy Rubins, as well as to Katy and the members of his studio team, who were extended family."

Read a sampling of the tributes to Burden coming from the art world and beyond: